Pneumatic sealing and air pressure device



Feb. 2, 1932. J. wlLLsoN PNEUMATIC SEALING AND. AIR PRESSURE DEVICE Filed April 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l IIIIII I N V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS Feb. 2, 1932. .1. wlLLsoN PNEUMATIG SEALING AND AIR PRESSURE DEVICE Filed April 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lIN V EN TOR.

www qs@ A TTORNEYvS.

Patented Fell). 2, 19.32,;

l J AMES A7733211459N,,QSE GJEVELND, OHIO ,PNEUMATIQ snALiiief,` AND am .Pansen-Bn- DEVICE This invention-as indicated-:relates tea lde-l viceladfaptedi to providean aiisealw dan; air pressure line whereby auf opening: iin lcon tainer maybe plugged: and@ thel cen-tents.I c-

such containers "may The Icaused' to "blowl thi-@ughV the :outlet tube 1 More. 1particul'arliy7 this yzqiparatus :is fintende'df for: useavvithcaire` boyadrums, barrels@v or any Cent ainers. Whiehit is ,desired .to seal beoreta-pplyingair pres` sure to.- enipgty. the contents thereof.`

v`Appealatus iter vemptying centaine-rs. sealing; the outlet i apertureansd hy. applying air pressurey to; the space labove--tlie liquid-cen@ tents' of' the. ccntainei' .have .heiretoffores been lineman, -hut 1.a devicef comprising e an elastic bedywhich combinesthe capacity te seal the centainery andf clampi secure,Y position'the.

OutletA pipe: at the same timeandzalsoto.v per'- mit the applying et lair` pressure' to theespaoel ahoave the. liquid contents :oit the centainer,'sof4 tar. as is: known has not been. heretolereJ-disf clesed in .theprierfart.. Y

lThe present apparatus makes itrpessihle tof. apply; the )device te a large yvariety' et centainersi 'diiieringna-s: toathecsize `ott the.l zout'let apertures; therein ,as wellies to the depth ci? thei liquid contaiieis vthereof .and tocsaidjust the .Y 'device tocsecurely vseal the outlet; repening-fand at the samef time clamp` thefeintlet ppeuat; a ,proper distance :romz-thei bottom:

of the container so as to empty the container: practi-eaiiy- 0enfipietelyv et `itsl p 1 contents through the. apiplicationxetair pressure;

Y rEhe `Y1appar.atus,Y also includes featuees: ofV4 Construction oi the. .devicewhichper-mitz itfto, ber manufactured at a. iew cost-1 and to; loeffnee from danger of injury through severe usage. Other and yTurther advantages of :the invert4 tien-.Will appear in the course:offtheiiellovv-I L ing description. Tozthe-v aceemlplshmentwot' principle ofl thei linventionl may: he used.

fn saidI annexed drawings: y F1-g. lis an elevationpartlfy -ilngsectlernl showin-g an apparatus emlo @dyingy thel pril-1er-rpi'e ef my invention asappliedlt'oa cai-boy Figfj is. an fen-large'd diagrammaticlf'secf tional View et# thew body -of preferred-dorm ot an apparatus lemlco'dying the' principles et the invention applied to-fthe opening" in the topof a' bottle or-ca-rboy;Figi-Sisa; sectional vievvot thefdevice show-n Fig-2z When ina collapsedand- Au,nexpended Conidi*- tion; Fig. 4 is a top plan view taken-a-lfeng` the linell-t 'shownL -ijnligr` 3, looking inl the, direction of the arrovvsg-*Figi -ifs va sectional?v viewftaken alengthe line 5-5 shown' in-ifT-i'g. 8',-loelti-n'g the directiionioflthe arrows V Fig; (Sjis an elevatienpartly imseotifonshchwiing a` mod'iied'erln l@ii-app aratus embodying 'the pi-inciplies"otI the-invention as appiiedto a. metalfdlrum; Fig. 7'? is enlarged; verticaly seetienaflivew of thehedy dftheelastife I-nerrgl-v her! shown" inI Fig; `(S Itfigriisla#central verticall-se @tional view (if another mocl`-.`di'ed*v form-v off' construction-of the bod-y eff' thgeueipa'nsible member o'i theiapparatusg'andfFig; 9isla transversehsectional view taken alnggthe line.- 9---9A o7Fig. 8j look-ingi-n thefdirection ot the arrows.

Asl is# leariyv show-ni infFfifgs. l Pto" 5: 02EE 'the drafvvfir`1gv the prter-fedi "fern-1 'et myV device Ccmprisesfa=hettle-er cai'loy lhaviuganiapei? tured neck portionv 2 Witliin zvvhich i's-engagedf an gexpansible A'sealing 'mem-her li3 through a centrali `hoi'ey `ef-"-vvvflii'cil1- vextends an ofut'i'et tube Which-may leesui-tahgl" hei-itat its outer ,entl`51td permit tlfieconfven-ientfdise charge; off thecontelntsf the hettlei er -eaihoy at the side thereof. As is more'particularly: shown. inligs: Qeaud, thesealingfmemher 3 comp-risesai leedyffeimedi'of'ruitluern er elastic* Composition. having aA central-aperturee@engy tending throughout the Pflength# there-f'lanili having heavyend-wallls 15, (3,1ar1d having@ itsv intermediate portion provided ywith an-annuilar fain chamber?? l 1 Through the centialropen-ing inl theJl tbody, an; outlet'` pip-e 8i is engaged, said 'pifpebeing adapted toi bei sllidallewith-iii said ibody when; the bodyf isinlaz deflated? -eondition=and adapted'to; beAseeurelfy-t clamped hy theinnerewals of said body when thesealing member is inserted in an outlet aperture and air pressure is applied to the annular air chamber as will be hereinafter described. On opposite sides of the central opening, tubes 11, 12 are provided, one of said tubes 11 extending completely through the end walls of said body and through theV annular air space therein and having no communication whatsoever with said air space. rlhe other of said tubes 12 also extends completely through the end walls of said sealing member, but is provided with a plug 13 at its lower end which prevents air being passed into the interior of the container to which the sealing member is applied. rlhe tube, at an intermediate point, is provided with one or more apertures 14 which communicate with the annular air chamber of the sealing member. The upper ends of the tubes 11 and 12 are bent at right angles and provided with valve portions 15, and are secured by suitable means, such as clamping nuts 16, to a terminal plate 17. The ends of said tubes may be suitably scre\.v-threaded to permit the attachment of air lines 13, 19 communicating to a suitable source of air pressure.

ln the form of construction shown in Fig. 6, a drum 21 sealed at the top and bottom is shown, said drum having an outlet aperture 22 at its upper endwithin which is engaged a sealing member 23. The sealing member is centrally apertured to slidingly receive an outlet tube 24 suitably formed at its a free end 25 to permit the convenient discharge of the contents of the drum to one side thereof. The sealing member 23 is shown in enlarged cross-section in Fig. 7 and comprises a body formed of rubber or other elastic composition having heavy end walls 26, 27 and an intermediate annular air chamber 23. A suitable valve member 29 is provided communicating with the annular air chamber. Said valve may be of the usual type used for automobile inner tubes and may be provided with a cap 31 having an air release stem 32.

On the side opposite the valve is shown a tubeV 33 extending completely through the end walls of the sealing member and through the annular air chamber and being provided with a terminal connection 34 provided with a valve and a suitable cap 35 having an air release stem 36.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 8, the sealing member 41 is provided with an enlarged central portion 42 within which is the annular air chamber 43. The ends 44, 45 are of reduced diameter and the tube 46 extends through a central bore through the sealing member. The enlarged central portion of the sealing member is provided with tapered walls 47 merging with the end walls and a valve 48 similar to that shown in Fig. 7 is provided adjacent the upper end of the tapered portion 47. Opposite said valve another valve 49 is provided which communicates with a tube 51 which extends to a terminal plate 52 which is provided With a central orifice 53 through which air may be passed to the interior of the container when the sea-ling member is inserted in the outlet opening thereof. y

The operation of all oi the dii'erent forms of the construction shown is substantially the same. The sealing member is engaged upon the outlet tube and is then engaged within the outlet opening in the container which is located at a point above the level of the liquid within the container. The sealing member is held in position within the outlet opening until by suitable means, air pressure is applied to the air chamber within the sealing member and the walls thereof are distended to the extent necessary to thoroughly seal the container. This action of iniiating the annular air chamber clamps the inner Walls of the sealing member tightly upon the outlet tube and thus prevents the escape of any air from within the container. lThrough the air tube extending completely through the sealing member and communicating with the interior of the container, air pressure in progressively increasing amount is supplied to the interior of the container which induces a flow of the liquid contents thereof upwardly through the outlet tube to a point of discharge. rlhe air pressure within the air chamber may be sealed when the requisite degree of pressure has been set up and such sealing may be continued so long as desired. The air inlet conduit may likewise beprovided with a valve and sealed as is shown in'Figs. 6, 7 and 8. V Y

When itis no longer necessary to maintain the sealing member in association. with the container, the air pressure within-the contain- Ier is relieved by releasing the valve communicating with the air chamber of the sealing member which will then collapse to its normal dimensions and may be readily withdrawn.

As will be readily apparent, the device is very simple in construction and is universal in its application to outlet apertures of quite a wide range of varying diameter. rlhe sealing action of the device is far superior to that which may be attained through the use of rigid elements screw threadedly,frictionally or otherwise engaged as it provides a secure packing or sealing against the 'escape of air from within the interior of the container.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed. Y

I therefore particularly point out anddistinctly claim as my invention:

1. A combined sealing and emptying device for containers comprising a body adapted to be inserted Within the outlet opening of a container above the liquid level thereof, an annular air chamber Within said body, an outlet tube slidingly engaged centrally of said body and adjustable Within said body to extend to a point adjacent the bottom of said container, means for forcing air into said annulanair chamber to. pressvthe outer Walls thereof into sealing engagement With the outlet opening of the container, and to press the inner Walls thereof into sealing engagement With the outlet tube.

2. A combined sealing and emptying device for containers comprising a body adapted to be inserted Within the outlet opening of a container above the liquid level thereof, an annular air chamber Within said body, an outlet tube slidingly engaged centrally of said body and adjustable Withinsaid body to extend to a point adjacent the bottom of said container, means for forcing air into said annular air chamber to press the outer Walls thereof into sealing engagement With the outlet opening of the container, and to press the inner Walls thereof into sealing engagement With the outlet tube, and means for forcing air into said container to remove the liquid contents thereof. v

3. A combined sealing and emptying device for containers comprising a body adapted to be inserted Within the outlet opening of a container above the liquid level thereof, an annular air chamber Within said body, an outlet tube slidingly engaged centrally of said body and adjustable Within said body to extend to a point adjacent the bottom of said container, means for forcing air into said annular air chamber to press the outer Walls thereof into sealing engagement With the outlet opening of the container, and to press the inner Walls thereof into sealing engagement vvith the outlet tube, and a tube extending through said body for forcing air into said container to remove the liquid contents thereof.

1l. A combined sealing and emptying device for containers comprising a body adapted to be inserted Within the outlet opening of a container above the liquid level thereof, an annular air chamber Within said body, an outlet tube slidingly engaged centrally of said body and adjustable Within said body to eX- tend to a point adjacent the bottom of said container, means for forcing air into said annular air chamber to press the outer Walls FSS thereof into sealing engagement with the outlet opening of the container, and to press the inner Walls thereof into sealing engagement With the outlet tube, and a tube extending through the Walls and air chamber of said body for forcing air into said container to remove the liquid contents thereof.

5. A combined sealing and emptying device for containers comprising a body adapted to be inserted Within the outlet opening of a container above the liquid level thereof, said body being of substantially cylindrical form and having an opening through its center from end to end to receive an outlet tube, an

annular air chamberformed centrally Within said body, a pair of tubes on opposite sides of said center opening and extending through the end Walls and through the air chamber of said body, one of said tubes being arranged to provide for the admission of air to the interior of said container and the other tube communicating with the interior of said air chamber to expand said body into sealing contact With said container and With said outlet tube- 6. A combined sealing and emptying device for containers comprising a body adapted to be inserted Within the outlet opening of a container above the liquid level thereof, said body being of substantially cylindrical form `and having an opening through its center` from end to end to receive an outlet tube, an

annular air chamber formed centrally Within said body, a pair of tubes on opposite sides of said center opening and extending through the end Walls and through the air chamber of said body, angular sections at the top of each tube secured to a terminal plate, one of said tubes being arranged to provide for the admission of air to the interior of said container and the other tube communicating With the interior of said air chamber to expand said body into sealing contact with said container and With said outlet tube.

Signed by me this 4th day of April, 1930.

JAMES WILLSON. 

